This application claims the priority of German application 196 32 942.6-21 filed in Germany on Aug. 16, 1996, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to an arrangement for the vehicle-fixed holding of control units in a motor vehicle having a carrier component which is provided with receiving areas for positioning and fixing several different control units.
From German Patent Document DE 43 13 782 A1, an arrangement is known for the vehicle-fixed holding of control units which has a carrier component for holding electronic and electrotechnical control units. The carrier component has cooling ribs which permit an improved carrying-off of heat of the housings of the control units. For holding several control units, these are held in stacks on the carrier component. The carrier component is designed individually for the respectively provided number of control units. A simple conversion of the carrier component for receiving additional or differently designed control units is not possible.
German Patent Document DE 39 28 138 A1 discloses a carrier component in the form of a sheet metal stamping which is designed in a plate shape and in one piece. The sheet metal stamping has receiving areas for fixing a plug, on the one hand, and a socket, on the other hand, on the sheet metal stamping.
It is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement of the initially mentioned type which ensures an easy mountability and convertibility of control units of different types.
This object is achieved by the present invention in that the carrier component is constructed as an essentially flatly designed, plate-shaped and one-piece sheet metal stamping, and in that the receiving areas are in each case arranged side-by-side on a top side as well as on a bottom side of the sheet metal stamping. By means of the essentially flat design of the carrier component as a sheet metal stamping and the arrangement of the receiving areas on the sheet metal stamping side-by-side, a simple mounting and demounting of the control units is permitted since each receiving area is accessible in a simple manner to a corresponding control unit independently of the arrangement of the additional control units. The arrangement of the receiving areas on the sheet metal stamping side-by-side also permits a simple manufacturing-related machining of the sheet metal part depending on the requirements with respect to possible additional or differently designed receiving areas which, in a simple manner, permits a fast conversion for the arrangement of other or additional control units. The control units which are arranged on the top side as well as on the bottom side of the sheet metal stamping are easily accessible. Including the respectively provided control units, the carrier component can be preassembled outside the motor vehicle and can be installed in the motor vehicle as a completely preassembled unit. With respect to its function, the carrier component represents a base plate which permits a simple variation and conversion to the respective requirements. As a result of the solution according to the invention, the carrier component is particularly suitable for the holding of differently dimensioned control units for function arrangements which can be selected as optional equipment for the vehicle. As the result of the carrier component, an individual adaptation is possible to the respective customers' wishes, without the requirement of manufacturing respective separate holding devices.
As a development of the invention, the sheet metal stamping is fixed to a vehicle-fixed vehicle body component in the horizontal alignment. As a result, a simple accessibility of the control units is permitted also in the installed condition of the sheet metal stamping.
In a further development of the invention, the sheet metal stamping is held by means of a hinge arrangement swivellably on the vehicle-fixed vehicle body part. The swivellable arrangement ensures a simple accessibility of the control units on the top side as well as also of the control units on the bottom side of the sheet metal stamping. Therefore, particularly the cabling, which is carried out only after the mounting of the sheet metal stamping in the motor vehicle, as well as a subsequent exchange of the control units is simplified.
In a further development of the invention, fastening or holding elements are integrated on the receiving areas in the sheet metal stamping. In particular, it is therefore possible to press fastening nuts into the sheet metal stamping or to provide extruded holes.
In a further development of the invention, the sheet metal stamping can be positioned in the motor vehicle in the direct proximity of a cable duct which is fixed to the vehicle. For this purpose, suitable fastening points are arranged in the motor vehicle on the corresponding vehicle body part. The arrangement in the proximity of the cable duct ensures a simple cabling and a simple guiding of the cables.
In a further development of the invention, the sheet metal stamping can be positioned underneath a rear seat bench. This is a position which offers a sufficiently large installation space and, in addition, ensures a stable fastening on the adjacent vehicle body parts, particularly on a cross member of the vehicle body support structure.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the sheet metal stamping is made of an aluminum plate. The sheet metal stamping therefore has a lower weight.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.